Plans to build nine homes on agricultural land in Canterbury Road, Birchington, will be discussed by Thanet councillors at a meeting next week.
The proposal has been submitted by the Church of England Diocese of Canterbury which wants to build the homes on the 0.87 acre block of chalk farmland which abuts agricultural land earmarked for housing as part of a 1,600 home development
The site between 310 And 318 Canterbury Road has historically been rented out to form part of the very large arable farm.
Issues over a public right of way which runs through the development site have resulted in amended layout plans which display the right of way.
The Diocese says: “The site is flat, featureless, and treeless. It has been farmed on a monoculture basis for as long as records exist.
“The site lends itself to the development of 9 detached houses of modest size. This configuration would the meet the full range of planning requirements including delivery of satisfactory outdoor spaces and the safeguarding of visual privacy for both existing neighbouring residents and future occupiers. Vehicular and pedestrian access would be directly from the A28 Canterbury Road.”
The application document states: “Economic – the construction work would provide a temporary boost to the local economy. The new dwellings would bring new family household incomes to the locality.
“Social – the nine dwellings would be a very worthwhile contribution towards meeting the pressing need for more family houses. The occupiers of the new family homes would become part of the local community and help to sustain community services and facilities.
“Environmental – the site will no longer be a viable agricultural unit once the surrounding land has been developed as planned by the Local Planning Authority. The transformation from monoculture arable to garden land will provide an opportunity to significantly improve biodiversity, through planting, landscaping, and measures such as nest and bat boxes.”
The Diocese suggests the 9 home proposal will slot alongside the plan to build 1,600 homes, a primary school, shops and a community park on farmland at Birchington.
More than 20 objections to the plans have been lodged with Thanet council raising concerns such as increased traffic, impact on GP and dentists services, schools nd water and sewerage.
Comments suggest brownfield land should be used instead and that the agricultural site contains bird and bat nesting habitat. It is also pointed out that the site is not allocated for housing in Thanet’s Local Plan – a blueprint for future development in the district.
Birchington Parish Council has raised several concerns including the proposed new access on to the A28 which it says is “unacceptable as it would create additional congestion and potential accidents.”
Kent County Council says although the public right of way is now shown details are still needed for how it will be protected.
Southern Water says: “Our initial investigations indicate there are no public surface water sewers in the area to serve this development. Alternative means of draining surface water from this development are required.”
In a document to councillors the council case officer says: “The proposal will result in the loss of best and most versatile land, however, the harm is considered to be limited given the restricted size and shape of the site, which is considered to be outweighed by the economic and social benefits of the development. The proposal is therefore considered to comply with Policy E16 of the Thanet Local Plan.
“The proposal is considered to provide a sustainable form of development within the urban confines that will provide family dwellings of a potential scale and density that would be in keeping with the character of the area, with no significant harm identified.
“It is therefore recommended that Members approve the application subject to safeguarding conditions and the submitted signed legal agreement securing the SPA contribution.”
The application will be discussed by councillors on July 19.
why is this council obsessed with turning good agricultural land into housing?
Oh I thought it was the church of England who had applied for planning permission, not TDC
When will it stop?
It won’t so long as the country intends to address all its woes by importing endless foreign labour and accepts every waif and stry that turns up on our shores, add in a welfare system that wishes to provide homes for those unable to make their way in life, family break ups etc etc and the demand will be endless.
It could be said that endless housebuilding is the result of societies decisions on the way it wishes to live, but has forgotten about the realities behind all the worthy ideals.
Isn’t “endless housebuilding” rather the result of having a government which is keen on supporting developers who want to build thousands of houses on,primarily, greenfield sites, some of which is not agricultural land?
Endless house building,yes,your partly right,but France and Germany do not putting a house,in place for all incoming migrants.Germany for instance,use all the old British Army ,barracks , I know that,because my old barracks,in Fallingbostel ,is amongst them
Since when has Britain been “putting a house in place for all incoming migrants”?
Where do you think ,migrants stay, they are in flats ,houses etc,not living in fields ,like the do in France
I don’t think all migrants are allocated a house.
Mmrees, but the vast majority that arrive and stay will be housed, of that majority most will be housed by the state at the tax payers expense. TDC is choosing to spend 2 million to buy houses for afghans and ukranians, on figures given in other articles that would be sufficient to house 16 households on the councils housing list. Why has that money suddenly become available? If it’s always been there to be spent why hasn’t it been put to use and families housed?
Comment of the week . The 9 houses will slot in nicely to the 1600 proposed houses to be built. What you mean is no one will notice another 9 houses in the scale of what’s proposed.
Another 1300 came over at the weekend. They all need a bed somewhere in the UK. We need to pick them up and take them straight back to France.
I think I’ve just found the next big prospective estate!
As I speak there is a young East Asian bloke who can barely speak English, dressed in “Jacobs” civils livery, surveying with a state of the art theodolite the prime farmland facing the junction of Ramsgate Rd. Margate & Enterprise Rd. When I asked him the purpose of his survey he could/would not tell me. I’ve emailed Jacobs. Who will no doubt avoid the question.
Anyone know who owns that land?
Is the young surveyor’s nationality relevant?
It could be.
You weren’t there. I was.
My assumption is that he works for the company whose livery he was wearing. However, his surprisingly poor English and inability/unwillingness to explain the purpose of his “… surveying…” raises other potential questions.
There’s been plenty of speculation in the Media about Chinese overseas police stations and the functioning of varsity Confucian Societies. “Be prepared!” Isn’t that what Boy Scouts are taught.
The surveyor may have a colleague who can translate.
East Asia isn’t a nation.
Of course “East Asia” isn’t composed of one very large nation. Nobody said it was.
You implied that it was
Unfortunately I agree with the previous statement another 9 homes won’t make any difference , the developers should fix up the old derelict property’s first and maybe they won’t need to build so many new ones
How would these new builds be marketed. An unbroken view over fields or views of over a building site for a few years followed by houses.
More like enjoy your views sir madam . Because in a few years time you will be living on a 10 year building site . Dust masks are optional
The church wants its ‘cut’ of profits. How ironic .. as if they dont have enough.
Why bother ‘discussing’ when they’ve already decided ‘yes’?
One of the faults of the piece of land is that it’s ‘treeless’. Can any intellectual heavyweight suggest a solution?
M M Rees,in the end,all migrants that stay here, will need ,housing,in flats ,houses,or what ever they are given,by local councils around the country.At the rate of immigration,you have to assume many hundreds of houses ,will have to be built
#build on brown field build on Manston